In traditional home cable systems, a variety of STBs (e.g., a standard STB, a digital video recorder (DVR), etc.) have been setup such that each STB is connected to an individual television. Each STB operates independently (e.g., without the need for other equipment located at the house). For example, typically, each STB has a television, cable or RF tuner that can tune to a particular channel that a user wishes to watch. Each STB decodes an incoming television, cable or RF signal and has its own CableCARD. Individual VOD assets are streamed directly to the STB.
In some satellite television systems, whole-home DVR/television systems have been implemented that allow each STB to communicate with the main provider server, and also allow the STBs in a home to communicate with each other. For example, content recorded on a DVR can be shared across multiple STBs. Additionally, a single main STB has been used that contains numerous tuners that are shared with numerous non-addressable client emulator STBs In such a system, each satellite STB communicates with the main STB to use one of the tuners available at the main STB or watch content stored on the main STB. In such a system, for each satellite STB to receive VOD content, the satellite STB must make a request of the main STB, which downloads the VOD asset to a DVR on the main STB, and then streams the VOD asset to the satellite STB.
What is desired is improved VOD asset distribution to clients.